Title: All That Glitters
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Summary: Rita Skeeter's article causes quite a stir, and Harry makes a final, monumental decision.
Chapter Thirty-Five: The More Things Change…
TRUTH AND LIES: HANNIGAN, RUNCORN, YAXLEY, MRS. MALFOY, SHACKLEBOLT, AND SNAPE
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?
A Rita Skeeter Exclusive
Only a few days after the arrest of Kingsley Shacklebolt on the charges of treason and accessory to murder, new information has come to light about the true loyalties of the Auror. Yesterday, in an exclusive interview with Harry Potter, this reporter learned that Shacklebolt had, in fact, been attempting to protect Minerva McGonagall and ensnare the true villains - Hannigan, Runcorn, and Yaxley.
Witnesses reported having seen Severus Snape kidnap Minerva McGonagall outside Hogsmeade. Accordingly, Aurors were sent to find the traitorous Death Eater and the missing Headmistress. Part of this attempt included the interrogation of Narcissa Malfoy, who claimed to know nothing about Snape's whereabouts. But Lucius Malfoy was later accused of being in contact with Snape, and of helping Shacklebolt located him, and arrange for the deaths of both Headmistress McGonagall and Minister Amos Diggory.
The entire wizarding world has been shaken to its core by the two deaths. A brief statement given by a senior Ministry official at the time promised no effort spared in catching the culprit and bringing him to justice. At the time, the culprit was believed to be Snape, who had been apprehended by Frederick Hannigan. Now it appears as though the true enemy might have been far closer than anyone realized.
Says the Boy Who Lived, "Hannigan was behind it. Hannigan, with help from Runcorn and Yaxley. It wasn't Snape, and it certainly wasn't Kingsley."
And Narcissa Malfoy?
"A relatively innocent victim in all this," according to Potter. "Hannigan blackmailed her, threatening to bring harm to her and Draco Malfoy unless she gave up her husband in court. But none of the Malfoys were responsible for either death."
Potter went on to explain that Hannigan had…
Jonathon Abbott crumpled the newspaper article in one hand and then shoved it away from himself, his face twisted in disgust. He refused to believe a single word that had been written. He knew the Malfoys, knew that they were Death Eaters who deserved Azkaban, or worse. The very idea that they could be painted as innocent victims was laughable.
"You saw the article, sir?"
Startled, Abbott turned towards the open door to his office. His assistant stood before him, her lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line. Her blue eyes were focused on him with an unreadable expression as she waited patiently for an answer.
"I did," he said angrily. "Load of rubbish is what it is."
"Harry Potter…"
"Potter is mistaken," Abbott said coldly. "He has been lied to, manipulated…" He trailed off, and shook his head. "But he is wrong. Nothing in this," he gestured jerkily towards the balled up newspaper, "is true. It simply cannot be true."
"What now, sir?" his assistant asked.
"I won't let the Malfoys escape. They can't weasel their way out of this, not this time."
…when in fact it was Runcorn who killed the Headmistress. Instead of bringing Runcorn to justice, however, Hannigan accused Snape and brought him to Azkaban.
This was confirmed during a recent interrogation with Snape, when, under a truth potion, the Death Eater admitted to being a spy for the Order of the Phoenix during both wars. In fact, the supposed murder of Albus Dumbledore was really…
Harry frowned at the paper, then looked up at Luna with a smile. "It's great, Luna. Thank you. And, um… thank your father for me, won't you?" The topic of Luna's father had always been one he avoided around her, given how the older wizard had tried to turn Harry over to the Death Eaters. He was still Luna's father, and she wouldn't hear anything bad about the man, but Harry couldn't always bring himself to stay civil.
Still… he tried. After all, Xenophilius Lovegood had allowed this article to be printed in his newspaper, and that was the only way it had managed to reach so many people.
Luna nodded serenely. "He's happy to help," she answered with a smile.
There were some parts of it, though, that didn't quite make sense to Harry. He hadn't told Rita Skeeter anything about Snape's interrogation. In fact, he hadn't known anything about the interrogation. He supposed Rita could have found the information anywhere, she did have a certain knack for releasing details that others might have preferred to keep quiet.
"What now?" Luna asked. "Do you need more? Because Daddy says he might have some room for you in the next issue, but he's not sure. He's got a good piece about the Two-Horned Muffles. There was an actual sighting in Scotland! Outside of Edinburgh. Daddy's going to go investigate it some more."
She was so excited when she said this, her entire face flushed, her eyes lit with anticipation.
"I don't really know," Harry admitted, suppressing a grin and deciding not even to ask what a Two-Horned Muffle was. "I want to see what happens with this first."
He hadn't given a whole lot of thought to what would happen after the article was published. It had been the first step in an unformed plan, and he didn't know exactly how to proceed. He hoped that some of the wizarding world would see this article and be outraged by it, would demand that the Ministry be held accountable for its mistakes. But he knew that others would refuse to believe – they always did – and that worried him.
"Well, alright," Luna agreed amicably, twisting a few strands of blonde hair around one finger.
On a whim, Harry asked, "What do you think of all this, Luna?"
She looked at him, not the least bit surprised to have her opinion asked, and gave a little shrug. "We always fight," she said simply, bluntly. "Some of the time, it is a full-out war. Others, it is just little arguments. But its always there. Conflict doesn't go away just because the evil side has been defeated."
It was both incredibly depressing and undeniably true, Harry reflected glumly as he gave a little nod.
Then Luna brightened and said, "As long as you know that what you are fighting for is worth the risk, then it isn't so bad."
Harry wondered about that. People died in these wars, would they agree that it was worth it in the end? But then, he thought idly, they probably thought this war was something worth dying for. Wasn't that exactly what Sirius had said the night that Nagini had attacked Mr. Weasley? That they all knew the risks, and everyone in the Order had agreed that it was worth it.
In the end, Sirius had died for that cause. Died to keep Harry alive. Just like James and Lily.
Harry rubbed his eyes wearily and sighed. He hated this, hated the feeling of waiting. He couldn't really do anything, not yet, not until they had a more fully-formed plan. He just had to wait, to see what would happen next…
And patience had never been one of his virtues.
"You know, you don't necessarily have to just sit around and do nothing," Luna mused as though she had somehow read his mind. "You're the Chosen One, after all. I bet if you requested to meet with someone – anyone – they'd let you. And that could help, Harry. Because it always help to answer your questions before you try to answer everyone else's."
He knew what she was saying, what she was implying, and he sighed. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time for him to pay a visit to Severus Snape.
…yet another death to add to the list. Penelope Clearwater, a Healer at St. Mungo's, was killed protecting her boyfriend, Percy Weasley, and his family from Yaxley and Runcorn.
In an effort to prove Shacklebolt's innocence, the Boy Who Lived, accompanied by Mr. Ronald Weasley, Ms. Hermione Granger, and Mr. Draco Malfoy attempted to detain the two Dark wizards at the Yaxley Manor in southern France. They succeeded in apprehending Runcorn, and brought him to the Ministry, where they were met by Percy Weasley and Ms. Clearwater.
However, Yaxley soon came to his co-conspirator's defense, attacking the four at the Ministry. In the resulting battle that took place, Ms. Clearwater was killed…
Percy folded the Quibbler in half and placed in beside the glass of orange juice his mother had poured for him. Hermione glanced at him, then at the paper, and sighed. Her actions were mimicked by Ginny, and it was clear that both girls were already concerned about the possible ramifications of the article. Ron, too, seemed concerned, though his expression was a lot darker, almost defiantly mulish.
"All three Malfoys are in Azkaban," Mr. Weasley said heavily as he entered the kitchen. "People are starting to ask questions now that Harry's article has been well circulated, but still… I'm not sure how much it will change."
"How did Rita Skeeter even find out what Snape said in the interrogation?" Percy asked curiously, looking over at his father.
Mr. Weasley shrugged. "I don't know. But the Aurors that interrogated him haven't been particularly quiet about what they learned. I doubt it would have been difficult for her to get that information."
"And she would have been eager for more information," Hermione muttered. "A story like this… we know how much she enjoys sensationalizing everything."
"Like it wasn't sensational enough to start with," Ginny muttered under her breath. "She just likes stretching the truth as much as possible."
"But she didn't stretch the truth," Hermione pointed out logically. "Everything she reported was factual." She rose to her feet and walked over to the window, leaning against the wall. "It might not have been exactly what we expected, but it is pretty much what we wanted. Isn't it?"
"But nothing's happened yet," Ron complained. "At least not enough."
"Be patient," Hermione chided.
Patience wasn't a trait any of them had a lot of at the moment, however, particularly given how long they had been fighting this particular battle. Harry wasn't the only one among them who simply wanted it to be over.
Percy ran a hand through his red hair and glanced quickly at the article. He had not expected to see Penelope's name in print, and had been stunned to read it there. As far as he knew, Harry had not mentioned anything about the specifics of Penny's death to Rita, and yet she had detailed it with such clarity, such vivid detail…
He shivered slightly, and felt Ginny's fingers resting gently on his arm. Slanting a quick look at her, he saw the sympathetic gaze in her eyes. She obviously knew what he was thinking, and he rested his hand on top of hers with a grateful nod.
He could remember so clearly the way her eyes had widened in horror a moment before the spell had hit her. In that moment, when she had realized what was about to happen, when she knew that nothing could save her…
He looked back at his father, forcing himself to listen to the conversation.
"…if Kingsley is cleared of all charges. But I don't know how likely that is. Even with everything Harry said in that article… Kingsley did break the law. The Wizengamot is not going to overlook that."
"But who else in left?" Ron protested. "The Ministry needs someone to lead them, and we don't have anyone else who is even slightly trustworthy." He shook his head glumly. "Everyone else high up in the Ministry is just too…"
"Yeah," Ginny agreed when Ron trailed off, groping for the right words.
Percy licked his dry lips and looked down at the table. He'd worked in the Minister's office long enough to know how politics would play out at that level, and it was rarely the most trustworthy who received the top job. It would go instead to the person willing to play the game, to take the risk, bend the rules, and gamble for it.
"Jonathon Abbott."
Ron and Ginny both gave him confused looks, but Mr. Weasley just nodded. "I've thought of that," he admitted reluctantly. "He has a chance. A good one."
"A chance at what?" Ginny demanded hotly.
"Being appointed Minister," Percy muttered, rubbing his face with one hand. He pushed himself to his feet and walked wearily towards the doorway leading out of the kitchen, thoughts of Penny on his mind. It was hard to focus on anything else besides her, even with the world crumbling all around him.
He paused at the doorway and looked back at his family. Ginny and Ron were both grumbling at each other, and Hermione was lost in her own thoughts. Mr. Weasley had folded his arms over his chest and was tapping the fingers of one arm against the opposite elbow.
The room was quiet, tense, but Ginny caught his eye and gave him another sympathetic nod.
At least they'd made progress. He and his family were coming together, slowly but surely. They'd figure it out, somehow. They'd learn how to be a family again.
He could only hope the rest of the world would fare as well.
…but why did Snape agree? According to one source who wishes to remain unnamed, it was because of an undying love for Lily Potter.
Snape, who grew up close to Mrs. Potter's childhood home, had developed a close friendship with the mother of the Boy Who Lived. Although this friendship did eventually disintegrate, as many childhood friendships do, Snape still cared deeply for his one-time friend. When he realized that You Know Who intended to target the Potters, he agreed to spy on his former Lord and allies in an attempt to save the doomed family.
As we all know, Lily and James Potter were murdered by He Who Must Not Be Named, despite the protections of the Order and the Ministry. Snape, however, continued his allegiance to Dumbledore and the side of Light in order to protect Harry Potter from the remnants of the Death Eaters.
Given the new details that have come to light…
Andromeda tossed the Quibbler into the fireplace and turned away from the burning pages. She certainly had not meant for things to get this far out of her control. She'd only wanted to help her sister, and to help Severus, to the best of her abilities. She'd spilled secrets she had promised to keep, told tales that perhaps should have remained silent.
She didn't know how Ms. Skeeter had managed to get the details on Severus' feelings towards Lily Potter, and she didn't particularly care. The potions Master wouldn't care either, he'd simply be furious that his story had ended up in print.
She wondered idly if he would track down whichever Auror had spoken to the reporter, had given her the full details of the interrogation. That didn't really matter to her either, though. Nothing much mattered.
Narcissa was in Azkaban.
All these years, the one thing she had striven so hard to prevent… and for what? To fail now, after all this time?
It was clear that Harry Potter was determined to have the family freed. But would that be enough? People wanted blood. Would they be satisfied with having Hannigan, Runcorn, and Yaxley brought to justice? Would they even believe the allegations brought against those three men? Hannigan was well-liked, particularly now given all that he had done to protect the wizarding world after the deaths of Diggory and McGonagall.
She curled a lip in disgust.
The sound of pattering footsteps on the floor caused her to turn around and force a smile to her lips as Teddy came running in. He was grinning happily, some toy clutched in his hands, oblivious to the turmoil going on in the world around him.
She scooped him up, resting him on her hip, and murmured softly, "I hope that by the time you're old enough to really understand this all, we've managed to make the world a better place for you."
Kingsley was standing in the quiet of his office was the door suddenly swung open. He had been clearing out a few of his belongings, things he would need at home over the next few days. No one had informed him of how long his temporarily leave of absence would last, though he imagined it would not end until it was decided just what exactly he would be charged with. Then he would either be re-instated, or the leave would be made permanent.
He looked up sharply, surprised by the resonating thud of the door snapping back on its hinges and hitting the wall. He hadn't expected to be disturbed – in fact, he hadn't even realized that anyone knew he was at the Ministry today.
It was Jonathon Abbott.
His face was a mottled red of rage as he strode into the room and demanded fiercely, "What are you doing here?"
Kingsley refused to be intimidated by the other man as he answered calmly, "Gathering some of my belongings. What are you doing here?"
"I still work at the Ministry," Abbott sneered, a taunt implied in his tone.
Kingsley forced himself not to respond in anger, and said simply, "But not in this office. This is still my office, and will be until I am permanently removed."
"You'll be removed soon enough," Abbott promised.
Kingsley turned away from him. Unfortunately, Jonathon Abbott was a strong contender for Minister of Magic. It would detrimental to everyone if he were appointed, but it was a distinct possibility. And Kingsley knew that Abbott was most assuredly using his current prestige and power to argue for the temporary leave to become permanent.
There were other things he could do. Even if he lost his license as an Auror, which he supposed could easily happen, there were still plenty of other things he could do. He was in no danger of not finding employment. But he was more concerned for the Ministry than for himself, and he knew it would crumble without someone there to protect it.
"You are not a Department Head," Kingsley said finally. "It is not for you to decide who stays and who leaves."
The power in the Ministry didn't exactly rest with the Department Heads, but they did have more influence than regular employees. A fact that both Kingsley and Abbott knew quite well.
Abbott was seething. "Things will change," he spat. "I've seen the rubbish that was printed in the Quibbler. Do you really think you can get away with it?"
Kingsley lifted his eyebrows an said in a measured tone, "I was not the one who wrote the article, nor did I give the interview. What exactly do you believe I am getting away with?"
"This garbage about the Malfoys…"
"Why are you so set against them?" Kingsley interrupted, giving Abbott a hard look. "Why are you so determined to see them in Azkaban?"
Apoplectic with rage, Abbott hissed, "My wife. Do you know what they did to her?"
Kingsley's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "Nothing, Abbott. The Malfoys did nothing to your wife." He folded his arms over his chest and strode forward.
"Your wife was killed by Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. The Malfoys did not kill her. The Malfoys were not even there when she died."
Abbott clenched his hands into fists. "How dare you…?"
"How dare I?" Kingsley repeated incredulously, and this time he did raise his voice. "You have been so determined to ruin the lives of the three Malfoys that you are blinded to everything around you. Even Harry Potter will tell anyone who asks that the Malfoys are not guilty of treason."
"That is not…"
"Narcissa Malfoy saved his life," Kingsley continued furiously, breathlessly. "In the Forbidden Forest, she lied to Voldemort, told him that Harry was dead, and that is the only reason that Harry managed to survive for as long as he did. Long enough to end this war, to vanquish Voldemort. If the Wizengamot has declared her absolved of past crimes, who are you to decide differently?"
"They are wrong! Potter is wrong!" Abbott retorted fiercely, eyes glowing with hatred.
"Going against the Wizengamot is not a decision one person alone gets to make," Kingsley countered. He did not like many of the Ministry employees, particularly the ones with the most power. He had despised Fudge and only barely tolerated Scrimgeour. Amos Diggory had been a good man, but Hannigan had been one of the worst to hold the de-facto position.
But he did recognize the importance of the Ministry. And the Wizengamot. He recognized the importance of a body of people who made the rules and regulations, defined the laws of conduct, and imposed the necessary penalties. Going against that was acceptable in a few rare desperate situations – such as when the Ministry had been denying the return of Lord Voldemort or when they had actually been controlled by the Dark Lord – but otherwise it was not something that should be done lightly.
He had done it, by agreeing to meet with Snape. And he was willing to face the consequences of his actions. But Abbott… Abbott was not willing to do that. He might believe that he was doing what was best for the world, as Kingsley had believed of his own actions, but he was not willing to hear any other point of view besides his own. He was not willing to accept responsibility for what he had done.
And that was the difference between the two wizards.
"You arrogant fool…"
"You're blinded by hatred," Kingsley said, noting abruptly that the door to his office was still open, and the conversation was being witnessed by several employees, including a few Aurors and Madam Borealis three other members of the Wizengamot. He ignored them, however, and focused back on Abbott. "Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange, so you never got your own chance at revenge. Your wife is dead, and because of that, you're looking for someone else's life to destroy. This isn't really about the Malfoys, because you could have picked anyone. They just happened to be the easiest target. And this isn't even about Snape, or what happened to Amos and Minerva. You don't care about that. You would have taken any reason to target them, any reason at all. Again, this just happened to be the convenient one."
"They are scum! They deserve…"
"They are many things," Kingsley said mildly. "But you do not get to decide what they deserve. When will you learn that ruining someone else's life will never fix your own?"
There was a flash of light, and Kingsley blinked rapidly before he realized it was a camera. How long had the reporter and the cameraman been in the hallway? How much had they overheard? Would this find its way into the media's three-ring-circus? Quite probably. In fact, Kingsley could almost see the headlines on the next morning's paper.
"You are wrong," Abbott said through clenched teeth. "I don't care what Potter says. I don't care what that article says. You are wrong. And you have no right to speak to me like this. You've done plenty without consent from the Ministry."
Kingsley inclinded his head, accepting the truth in that statement. "I did. But I didn't do it with hatred and fury. I didn't do it with the single goal of ruining another's life. And I am willing to own up to my actions. When will you take responsibility for yours?"
"When I see you rotting in Azkaban," Abbott answered in a low whisper, and he stormed from the room.